Turning another shade of green and a new sandwich favorite

I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve done over the last week that have made me feel a little greener. I know they’re all baby steps, but I feel good about being more conscious of what I’m using and buying.

The first thing I changed after reading about and signing the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act was to commit to buying safer cleaning products. As I finish using up the products I have, I’m going to buy the great cleaning supplies by Seventh Generation. I’ve already bought their all-purpose cleaner and I love it! No fumes, non-toxic, biodegradable – and the best part is this – on the back where you usually find a warning label about what to do if a cleanser is accidentally ingested, it simply says to drink plenty of water. That’s it! No calling poison control or seeking medical attention immediately. Just drink plenty of water. It’s frankly so startling to me that I haven’t made this change before. What took me so long? Not that I plan on leaving the cleaning supplies laying around for anyone to “accidentally ingest,” but it’s still good to know that they’re safer products for my family to be around.

Sam and I have also decided that he won’t pack juice boxes in his lunchbox anymore. He’s got small reuseable water bottles that we can fill every day instead. Even though he’s been taking the traditional box of juice, which is biodegradable, the straws are not. It’s cool that he wants to be more earth-friendly.

Another step we’ve taken is to buy some cloth napkins on the clearance rack at Target. I only bought two packs, so we’ll only get to use them a couple times a week, but that one small step will add up for our family. We have drastically cut down on our paper towel usage since buying a bunch of dishcloths and dish towels. We’ve hardly used a paper towel since, which is really great, so I’m hoping we’ll get there with the paper napkins eventually.

See? Small things that have the potential to make a difference. How cool is that? Have you made any baby steps on your way to going green? We’d love to hear about them!

Grilled Apple and Swiss Sandwich

And now to totally get off topic, I have to tell you about this crazy lunch discovery I made today. I may be the only one who didn’t know about the love a granny smith apple has for swiss cheese. Well, today I found out. I made myself a grilled apple and swiss cheese sandwich and I’ll surely be making it again. I’m not a huge fan of grabbing an apple and eating it out of hand, but this is one way I can definitely enjoy a crisp apple that doesn’t involve baking in any way, shape, or form. Try it, if you never have. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Recipe: Grilled Apple and Swiss Sandwich

Butter two slices of whole wheat bread, on one side. (Or lightly brush with olive oil.)

Related

My girls and I are starting to take small steps also. We’ve started using a Brita at home and have cut our water bottle use in 1/2. Like you – we also use dish towels vs. paper towels. Every little bit helps!

T, we’ve been doing something new at least every week and I can see it making it difference. It’s so cool.
Katie and Cynthia, this combo is really tasty, but not one I’d ever thought of before. I’m usually a straight up grilled cheese kind of girl. It’s a nice change.
– Shell